Yeah, if no one saw this alleged ‘ending’ coming, its because it’s too clichéd, and we NEVER see clichés in this series, so he’s trolling us here briefly with an old fashioned EC style comic book “ending”. As for the twist? It could be as subtle as the astronaut proving to be an ironically benevolent dictator.

The story “The Clever Hound” is foreshadowing for this, or maybe you could call it allegory. That means that things are not looking good for our heroes, or the spaceman. Soon, the hound’s former companions, those with whom it wrote the magicks of the universe, learn of our Wayfarer’s demise, are coming after them.